West coast style rear view mirrors are the large rear view mirrors that are used on large trucks, vans, motor homes, and the like and are mounted on arms that extend out to hold the mirror some distance from the vehicle cab so that the driver has a better line of vision down the length of his vehicle and behind it.
These mirrors are usually manually adjustable, rather than by any remote control means, as has become more common and generally known with passenger car rear view mirrors.
They are large mirrors, because they have to be disposed a distance out and away from the driver, and consequently, they are more prone to road vibration and wind than the smaller passenger car mirrors. This, in turn, usually dictates a more stable and stiffer means of pivotal support than can be used with the passenger car mirrors.
While the smaller rear view mirrors can use a ball and socket type pivotal support, with flexible wire control cable connections, to afford remote control, the larger mirror functions better with a transverse axis type of universal joint support which provides greater stability and with added stiffness provided by greater frictional resistance in their pivotal connections. However, as mentioned, this is not condusive to remote control operation with the more commonly known remote control operating means.
Usually, some form of hydraulic or motor driven actuator has been used with the large truck mirrors, where size and massive appearance is not too objectionable.
What appears to be needed is a new or modified construction for these large mirrors, which will have all the advantages presently known, particularly as regards size and arm mounting, but which will provide a mirror that turns easier and is more easily adjusted for better control and operation by remote means in the vehicle cab. And further, that will enable a more simple and less expensive type of remote control operating means to be used with these mirrors and not add too appreciably to their cost of manufacture and ultimate retail expense.